Registration is now open for the National Oceanography Centre’s (NOC) Marine Autonomy and Technology Showcase (MATS) 2019, which will take place from 12–14 November at the NOC’s waterfront site in Southampton.

MATS 2019 promises to be the biggest showcase to date, with a record number of abstracts received and a wide range of exhibitors already on board.

MATS 2019 will feature a packed three-day programme of exhibits, presentations, panel discussions and networking, offering a unique and valuable opportunity to find out about the latest developments in marine autonomous technology and how this field is set to develop in the years to come. The event also enables organisations to engage with the NOC to explore opportunities around funding, sharing ideas and getting those ideas in front of influential, high-profile users from the marine and maritime sector.

The event will welcome a broad roster of speakers from across industry, academia, and government organisations. Each day of the showcase will see leading figures from the world of marine autonomy and technology take to the stage to present on innovative, disruptive technologies, as well as presentations on current developments and future priorities and challenges.

Marine autonomy is a transformative technology that continues to generate huge interest from major industry sectors, including offshore renewable energy, oil and gas, and defence, and the showcase event was established by the NOC in 2015 in response to this growing interest. Outside of industry, the technology has continued to capture the public imagination in the last 12 months with the global popularity of Boaty McBoatface, the name given to one of the NOC’s Autosub Long Range autonomous underwater vehicles.

Aidan Thorn, Marine Robotics Innovation Centre Manager at the NOC, said: “We look forward to welcoming delegates to MATS 2019 – this forum provides a great opportunity for us to share experiences and update the community on developments in the Oceanids marine robotics development programme. With a record number of high quality abstracts received over the summer, the delivery committee is looking forward to building upon the success of previous years and delivering a fantastic event.”

Tickets are priced at £180 (including VAT) for the three-day event, which includes lunch and refreshments, and access to the icebreaker drinks, and an evening networking supper. The full programme and biographies of the speakers will be announced in the coming weeks. Full details on how to register are available on the NOC Conference website.